IBN7 Zindagi Live feature on mothers of gay and lesbian children
On April 29, 2012, IBN7’s Zindagi Live hosted an exceptional series of interviews with mothers of children who are gay or lesbian. Compered by Richa Anirudh, the 39 minute episode, primarily in Hindi, featured Chitra Palekar, Padma Iyer, Amita Sharma and Shobha Doshi. Counselor Nivedita Singh provided basic information and cleared misconceptions parents often have about their queer children.
While each of the mothers (and a grandmother) is amazing in her own way, we at Orinam could not help but be moved by Shobha-ji’s perspective on life and living as a cancer survivor and unflinching supporter of her son Shamit and his partner.
Thanks to Harish Iyer for tweeting these links, and to Richa Anirudh and the IBN7/TV18 network for such thoughtful programming.
If any of our readers would like to help with subtitling this in Tamil, please let us know.
The entire series may be viewed by clicking on the following segments:
इसे कहते हैं टीआरपी की भूख में प्रोफेसनिस्ट का शातिरनामा। इस शख्स का नाम है हरीश अय्यर जिसे आपने गत 29 अप्रैल को IBN7 के शो “ZINDAGI LIVE” मे खुद को ‘गे’ बताते हुये कहता है कि मुझे गर्व है कि “मै समलैँगिक हुँ” और इस फैसले में मेरे परिवार वाले भी साथ है। आप ने इसे रविवार को ‘सत्यमेव जयते’ के बाल शोषण पर आधारित एपिसोङ मे देखा होगा। हरीश अय्यर जहाँ ये खुद को बाल शोषण का शिकार बता खुद के साथ लगातार 11 साल हुये बलात्कार के बारे मे बता रहा था लेकिन
आखिर क्या सच है…दो शो, एक शख्स लेकिन बातें अलग-अलग या ये सब फंडा भोली भाली जनता को पागल बना मात्र TRP बटोरने के लिये है। मैं पहले भी कह चुका हुँ हमें क्रिकेट मे भगवान और फिल्म स्टार्स मे समाज सेवक की तलाश बँद कर देनी चाहिये।
In both shows he says he has been abused as a child so its nothing about the TRP. And where is it mentioned that a boy/girl who has been abused as a child can not be Gay/lesbian.
These days everybody has the habit of bloating up every small issue. You don’t see the trauma that kid went through in his childhood. Being gay is a different issue. He has the guts to speak up on TV about both the issues and I feel that requires a lot of courage. We should be supportive for them rather than just criticizing them.
We r not looking at the bigger picture that the program ‘Satyamev Jayate’ is bringing up.. we just want to bring up these small incidents that the same person is on some other program where he accepts he is gay.
You won’t stand up and speak that there is not law yet in this country for child abuse but you have all the time to write about this minor thing.
Does his being gay reduce the pain which he went through in his childhood? Can you overlook the trauma he went through by just knowing that he is gay.
As a reporter you have much more responsibilities towards the public, so better give some thought before you write about such sensitive issues.
u r totallu correct miss shaily ,,, i support u ,,,,